1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a modular molding system which utilizes molding segments that can be attached together to form a molding of desired length. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular molding system having thin plastic segments that can be interconnected together and attached to a ceiling to form a crown molding, with corners, for a room.
2. Related Art
Crown moldings are commonly used to decorate a room by providing a transition between the joint formed by a vertical wall and a ceiling. Typically, crown moldings used for this purpose have been made of wood. However, the high costs associated with wood moldings make them cost prohibitive for lower budget rooms, such as office spaces, basements, etc. As such, efforts have been made to develop moldings which can be economically installed to decorate a lower budget room. Additionally, the installation of wood crown moldings is highly time intensive which adds to the cost. For example, the wood molding must be formed, possibly by interconnecting various wood molding elements, to form a desired molding profile. Then, the wood molding must be properly sized for the location it is to be used. This sizing typically requires a compound mitre saw which can be expensive, require a significant amount of training before use, and involve a significant amount of time to use. Further, use of such a saw creates significant amounts of sawdust, which adds to the inconvenience associated with installation, and which can also be a health hazard.
In order to reduce the time and inconvenience associated with installation of crown moldings, efforts have been made to develop single-form composite moldings with double-faced adhesive which can stick to the vertical walls and be held in place. However, despite the improvements of economy and efficiency of installation provided by composite moldings, current designs are still hampered by a multitude of components which must be interconnected together in various forms to form a length to cover a wall and/or a corner section. The multitude of required different pieces also significantly adds to the cost of production. Accordingly, what is desirable, and has not heretofore been developed, is a modular molding system which has the desired benefits of economy and ease of installation, with the added advantages of simplicity of design and construction.
Several of the numerous past efforts to molding designs include:
Lane, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,485, discloses a molding system which is manufactured from a polystyrene foam base, with a foam-coating on top of the foam base. The foam coating is covered by a second layer of gypsum. The foam base can easily be made in a desired shape. The gypsum or xe2x80x9cdrywallxe2x80x9d material second layer can be sanded to achieve the desired appearance. The molding system, comprising sections of the foam base, and layers of foam-coat and gypsum can then be attached to a wall or ceiling with glue or screws.
Logan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,940, discloses a decorative trim or molding system, which can be placed in a corner which joins a vertical wall and a ceiling. A molding section is attached to a wall trackxe2x80x94said wall track being first mounted to the wall by nails or other fastenersxe2x80x94by a plurality of clips. Alternatively, the molding sections can be affixed in said position by an adhesive, such as double-sided pressure sensitive tape, positioned against a vertical wall. (FIG. 8) A plurality of molding sections can be placed together in order to cover a lineal length of wall. The molding sections are telescopically, slidingly interfitted to one another, and in one embodiment are further secured together by spring tabs integrally formed on the molding section. The moldings, once affixed to the vertical wall, can extend outwardly from the wall, and fit in close contact with the ceiling to provide a resilient fit with both the wall and the ceiling, and give the appearance of an angled corner molding. The patent discloses sections of molding formed in thin flexible strips from polystyrene. The sections are flexible in both the horizontal and vertical directions to allow the molding to conform to uneven surfaces of the wall and ceiling. The patent further provides for corner sections which are adhesively engaged in an overlapping arrangement to form the corners where two vertical walls meet the ceiling and each other, thus alleviating the need for mitering the ends of the molding.
Logan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,469, is the parent application to Logan, et al. ""940, and discloses essentially the same elements but with fewer embodiments.
Juntunen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,407, discloses a corner molding formed of a single piece of material, preferably foam or plastic, which can be placed in a corner overtop two rough cut lineal sections of molding. The single-piece corner molding gives the appearance of two perfectly joined lineal sections without the mitering and precision typically required to join separate lineal pieces in a corner.
Zeiliner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,710, discloses a molding system to cover the joint formed between a counter top and an adjacent vertical surface. The molding is essentially L-shaped with a concave outer surface, and an almost perpendicular inner surface which is affixed to the counter top and vertical wall by double faced adhesive. The patent further discloses three types of joinder pieces: 1) corner pieces which can be affixed overtop two molding sections which meet at right angles, 2) extension pieces which combine two molding sections in a lengthwise fashion, and 3) end pieces which can be placed overtop and end section of molding which meets a second vertical wall. All three of these joinder pieces are provided to make transitions in the molding appear continuous and as a result, more aesthetically pleasing.
Katzin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,434, discloses a combination baseboard molding which incorporates a baseboard molding and shoe molding into one structure. Typically, in order to cover the crack between a floor and a vertical wall, a first rigid baseboard molding is applied, and then a second shoe molding which is of adequate flexibility is affixed in the corner adjacent to the baseboard and the floor. The flexibility of the shoe molding allows the combination baseboard shoe design to conform to the design nuances in the area formed by a floor and a vertical wall, so that it appears that there is a smooth transition between the floor and a vertical wall. The patent discloses a combination baseboard and flexible shoe which can be affixed to the corner in one step, rather than two-step process described above.
Schlafly Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,587, discloses decorative moldings designed to economically hide unsightly wires which are often added to homes and other dwellings following construction. Such post-construction wiring could include connections for emergency lights, cable and other communication lines, etc. The patent generally discloses brackets which can be affixed to a wall by an adhesive. The brackets are generally L-shaped with the perpendicular legs of the joint extending outwardly from the corner formed by a ceiling and vertical wall. The legs of the brackets have hooks for receiving a tempered aluminum slat, which serves to cover the wiring behind it. The legs of the brackets are fixed closer together than the width of the slat so that the slat is flexibly bent into the hooks and resiliently held therein. Preferably, a series of brackets, typically formed from the same material as the slat, are used to support the slat.
None of the previous efforts in this area, taken either alone or in combination, teach or suggest all of the benefits and the utility of the present invention.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a modular molding system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular molding system comprising sections formed of thin plastic.
It is even another object of the present invention to provide thin plastic molding sections for a modular system, which sections are formed by vacuum molding.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide thin plastic moldings which include an angled face portion and a horizontal alignment portion.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a molding system having molding sections which have a first straight end and a second angled end.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a molding system which can be used to form corners by overlapping the straight end of one section with the angled end of another section.
It is a further object of the present invention to form a molding of a desired length by overlapping a straight end of a first molding section over an angled section of a second molding section, and continuing to overlap additional molding sections in a like manner to create a molding of desired length.
It is a further object of the present invention to attach two overlapping molding sections together by means of adhesive on an interior side of the angled face portions of the molding sections.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide modular molding sections having a horizontal alignment portion which allows for the molding to be properly placed the correct distance away from, and parallel to, a vertical wall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adhesive on the upper surface of the horizontal alignment portion to adhere the molding section to a ceiling.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thin plastic molding which is flexible in order to easily adjust to uneven wall surfaces.
The modular molding system of the present invention comprises a plurality of modular molding sections for covering the joint formed between a vertical wall and a ceiling to create a crown molding. The sections are preferably formed of a thin plastic vacuum-molded material. The molding sections include an angled faced portion and a horizontal alignment portion interconnected with the angled face portion. The molding sections include a first straight end and a second angled end. An angled end overlays a straight end positioned at a corner to form a coped corner. A desired length of molding is formed by overlapping the straight end of a first section over the angled end of a second section to give the appearance of a straight joint, or even no joint. This process can be repeated to form a molding of desired length. An adhesive may be provided on the inner surface of the angled section of the molding sections in order to allow for overlapping sections to be adhered together. The molding sections are flexible to abut to an uneven surface of a vertical wall. The horizontal alignment portion carries an adhesive which allows the molding to be adhered to a ceiling. The horizontal alignment portion has a dual purpose of providing a surface for carrying the adhesive, as well as providing a means for easily insuring that the molding is properly spaced from the vertical wall.